


Together

by Artemis_Egeria



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: AUgust 2020, AUgust Day 7, Alternate Universe - Childhood Friends, Alternate Universe - Human, Alternate Universe - No Powers, Bittersweet Ending, Borderline purple prose, F/M, Fluff, Prompt Fic, Prompt Fill, Sad Ending, Tooth-Rotting Fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-17
Updated: 2020-08-17
Packaged: 2021-03-06 00:55:40
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,436
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25954843
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Artemis_Egeria/pseuds/Artemis_Egeria
Summary: Vision and Wanda through the years.
Relationships: Wanda Maximoff/Vision
Comments: 16
Kudos: 15
Collections: AE's Scarlet Vision AUgust 2020, AUgust 2020





	Together

**Author's Note:**

> And another one is complete! I may not finish AUgust within the month, but I think I will be able to get them all done eventually.
> 
> I was originally going to use one of the jokers for this prompt, but this structure stayed in the back of my mind, so I wrote it out at the last minute (or late, as the case may be).

When Vision was nine, he was adopted and moved to a new neighborhood. Several days after he arrived, while he was still adjusting to his new home, he was sitting in his front yard. A foam arrow came floating into line of vision, landing directly in front of him.

A young girl about his own age came running up, a small boy with matching brown hair following immediately after her. “Hi. Can I have my arrow back?”

Vision picked it up and walked over to them. He handed it over without a word. “I’m Wanda.” She pointed to the boy next to her. “This is Pietro.” Her head tilted as she continued to stare at him. “Who are you? I haven’t seen you before.”

“I’m Vision.” It was a nickname based on his glasses, but he had always preferred it to his given name. “I was just adopted by the Shades.”

“Cool! We’re adopted, too.” A man with short brown hair, holding the bow that matched the arrow at the house across the street, started yelling to Wanda and Pietro. “Do you want to come play with us?”

Vision was not used to such invitations, but he did not want to upset the people who had taken him in. “May I ask permission first?”

“Sure. We can wait.” She waved at the brown-haired man across the street while her brother was tapping his toes impatiently.

Vision ran inside and found Mrs. Shade. She gave him permission to go across the street, smiling broadly. He half expected the other children to be gone when he returned, but they had waited. Wanda took his hand and Pietro’s, pulling him over to her adopted father.

The man named Mr. Barton welcomed him easily enough. He even included Vision in the archery lessons he was giving Wanda and Pietro. He wasn’t very good at first, but Wanda assured him he would get better with practice.

This meeting was the beginning of a great friendship. The three became inseparable. They attended the same school, took the same classes, spent their evenings doing homework together. Then, the summer days were filled with archery practice, reading under the large maple tree in Vision’s yard, and swimming in the city pool.

Their friendship became a defining feature of all three of their lives. But Vision was always slightly more drawn to Wanda. He relished the times when they could be alone together when Pietro was running cross country or going on a date. In truth, Vision knew quite young that he was in love with her, though he never breathed a word of it, happy to be a central figure in her life. He would not ruin their platonic closeness for anything.

Looking back, the years seemed to pass in the blink of any eye.

***

When Vision was nineteen, he came back to his home after his first year of college.

He was still constantly berating himself that he had never told Wanda his true feelings. They had maintained their friendship throughout their first year away. Vision was grateful that they hadn’t let their friendship falter. But he wanted to be her boyfriend. He wanted to admit that he had been in love with her for a long time.

This summer back together was the perfect opportunity. They both had summer jobs in their hometown, while Pietro was still away at school for track and field practices. Vision missed Pietro as well, but he did not think his presence would help his quest to woo Wanda.

However, once they were back together, they fell so easily into their old friendship, that Vision could not find the right moment to tell her the truth. It was already a warm July night when they both snuck out to the Bartons’ back field.

Vision had brought the snacks and Wanda had brought the blankets. It was an old tradition of theirs to spend warm summer evenings talking about everything and nothing until the sun rose again. It was different with just the two of them. It felt more intimate and special.

Then Vision berated himself once again for reading more into this than Wanda was likely feeling. They had fallen into silent contemplation, so to distract himself, Vision cleared his throat. “What is your favorite part of college so far?”

Wanda turned to look at him. He could barely see the curve of her smile in the darkness, but she was still so beautiful to him. “The freedom, I guess. I miss you and Pietro, and Clint and Laura and the kids, but it’s nice to be on my own. What about you?”

“I suppose the same.” Vision had never felt restricted by his parents. They were supportive and encouraging. They expected hard work, but they were not authoritarian about it. The only expectation he could not easily meet was being more social. Their worry about his lack of friends besides Wanda and Pietro was a weight on him. He tried to tell them that he was happy the way he was, but their relentless questions about his social life never abated.

However, Wanda knew all that. He did not feel the need to expand.

Seeking a way out of the thoughts that had begun crowding his head, he changed the subject. “What is your least favorite part?”

“Hmm. I guess missing you and Pietro and the Bartons.” She paused. Her cheeks seemed to darken. “Oh! That and all my friends saying I should lose my virginity.”

Vision was grateful that he was not drinking anything at the moment. He was certain that he would have choked on it. “Yes, that must be annoying,” he said weakly.

“Yeah, I guess it was my own fault for admitting it. But I blurted it out during a game of truth or dare when we were all still getting to know each other. I should have just gone for a dare.” She shook her head. “They’ve been trying to set me up ever since.”

Vision thought about his own roommates. “If it’s any consolation, I have been experiencing the same issue.”

“Sorry, but it does help a bit.”

Awkwardness blanketed their conversation. It had been a very long time since awkwardness of any sort had clouded their interactions. But they had rarely discussed their dating lives. He knew it almost nonexistent for both of them,

Wanda finally broke the silence. “I keep telling them that I just haven’t found anyone I wanted to do it with.”

“Neither have I.” This was untrue, but Vision could not bring himself to reveal his feelings after this turn in their talk. “I wish my roommates could understand that.”

“Same.” Silence began to stretch between them again.

Wanda grew so still that Vision thought she had fallen asleep. Enough so that he found the courage to say, “I lied.”

“Huh? About what?”

“Oh, I-.” He felt the blush burn through him. When he did not continue, Wanda sat up and moved closer. Soon her face was only a couple of inches away. Looking into the eyes of his best friend in the world, the person who knew him best and accepted him the most, he felt his nerves drain away and a feeling of rightness bloom within him. “I lied that I have never met anyone with whom I would like to make love.”

“Oh?” If possible, she drew even closer. “Anyone I know?”

“I believe you know her very well.” He reached up to cradle her jaw in his palm. “I love you, Wanda Maximoff. And I want to experience every intimacy that there is with you.”

She laughed, and Vision thought he had made a grave error until she tackled him in tight hug and nuzzled his neck. “Do you know how long I’ve been waiting for this?”

“No,” he whispered, quite stunned at this information.

“Years. I would have said something, but I couldn’t risk our friendship.”

“I had the same concerns.”

Wanda laughed again, this time much softer and more embarrassed. “I guess I should say, ‘I love you,’ back. Only if you feel the same.”

She stared down at him in fond exasperation. “Yes, I love you, Vizh.” She kissed him then. They spent the night exchanging more simple kisses and words of love and affection that had been waiting to spring forth for years.

Before the end of summer vacation, they each had news that would satisfy their friends. But they decided they owed them nothing and would not kiss and tell.

***

When Vision was twenty-nine, he and Wanda married.

He had been contemplating proposing for years, but he was waiting for the correct moment. The proposal had to be perfectly choreographed for the perfect woman for him. He considered many options over the years, from elaborate public affairs (which he quickly discarded) to a simple dinner at the apartment they shared (which did not seem special enough).

In the end, all his worry had been for naught because Wanda grew impatient and proposed to him when they both returned home for Clint and Laura’s thirtieth wedding anniversary. She asked him in the same spot where they had both admitted their feelings for each other, and it was perfect.

Now he was standing in the same place, waiting for his bride to walk down the makeshift aisle. They had chosen a small ceremony with only family and close friends. Vision let his eyes settle briefly on all his assembled loved ones to distract himself.

However, once the music started and Wanda came into view, he had eyes only for her. She looked luminous on this day, more than he had ever seen her before, even though he thought she was always beautiful.

When she reached him, they clasped hands. Vision had vowed not to cry, but he could already feel the tears forming. She rubbed her thumb over the back of his hand comfortingly as the officiant began speaking.

He was more than ready to begin the rest of his life.

***

When Vision was forty-nine, he celebrated his son’s engagement to his boyfriend, who was also his high school sweetheart.

When it was clear that their engagement was becoming imminent, William requested to speak with him alone one night. Wanda had smiled indulgently at them and offered to do the dishes. They went outside to enjoy the fresh air and stargaze.

After a period of silence, he asked, “How did you know you wanted to marry Mom?”

“Well, William our case is somewhat atypical. I knew I wanted to marry your mother long before we were ever together. I believe I was thirteen when I realized it. For most people, that would disappear in a fit of youthful infatuation. But I have never once doubted the feeling. I simply knew that she was the one for me. I am sorry I could not be more helpful.”

“It’s okay, Dad. I mean, I think I know.” He paused, voice going softer and more wobbly. “Teddy and I talked about it. Neither of us wants to make a big deal of it, though his family will probably argue. We don’t care who proposes. We just want to be together.”

“I wish you well with whatever you decide. Your mother and I will always support you.”

“Thanks, Dad.” They let the quiet swallow up their conversation again.

When Billy returned to his and Teddy’s apartment later that night, Vision was lost in thought. He did not realize how lost he had become until Wanda nudged his shoulder while climbing into bed. “Something wrong, Vizh?”

“No, I was simply contemplating how much our boys have grown.”

“I know.” Wanda’s eyes were as misty as his own. “They’re not little kids anymore. I miss when Tommy would let me patch him up and kiss his booboos better.”

“True. I miss when I could carry Billy and Tommy one in each arm.”

Wanda nestled closer to his side. “At least we just get more people to love. Teddy and his family are great.”

“Thank you for thinking of it that way. I was at risk of growing melancholy, and life does march on regardless. We need to take all the joy we can from it.”

Wanda hugged him. “We’ve had plenty to go around.”

Vision smiled down at her, completing their embrace. “And much more to come.” She leaned up to kiss him, and they found even more to celebrate in their lives.

***

When Vision was seventy-nine, he and Wanda sat together in their backyard, surrounded by their children, grandchildren, and numerous other friends and family to celebrate their fiftieth wedding anniversary.

Pietro sat beside the happy couple, as gregarious as ever. Vision quietly surveyed all the people nearest and dearest to his heart, many of whom he would never have met, or created, without Wanda. His heart grew full to bursting at the sight of so many happy faces.

Neither he nor his wife could move as swiftly as they once did, so they let their children and grandchildren come to them. The little ones sat at their feet, telling stories of their school days and friends. Vision and Wanda listened with rapt attention.

Then, the adults had their turn to give them updates. Vision watched their lives unfold around him and was content.

***

When Vision was ninety-nine, he sat in the hospital with Wanda. They knew the time was close, but she was trying to maintain a cheerful demeanor for her husband. Vision likewise wanted to make her passing as comfortable as possible.

They reminisced about their life together. Their loved ones had already said their goodbyes. It was only Wanda and Vision together for the final farewell, just as it had been their entire lives.

That evening, she went out of the world.

The next morning, on Vision’s one-hundredth birthday, Billy found him in his bed. His expression was incredibly peaceful, and he looked as if he could simply be sleeping. But Billy knew the truth.

He mourned the loss of both his parents, but he had known somehow he would find his father like this. He called Tommy immediately afterward. Tommy knew what his twin was going to say before he said it.

They put together a small, simple memorial service, just as their parents had specified both in their wills and in conversation. They celebrated a life of love and togetherness that had created a large, close-knit extended family.

It was a love few could hope to ever achieve, but Billy was grateful to have seen it work miracles in the lives of his parents and those around them.


End file.
